> I disagree with the Boy Scouts of America stance on this one. Personally,
I don't see how sexual orientation has anything to do with teaching boys how
to become good leaders and contributing members of society.
Gee, I don't think I have seen this topic come through here before. Guess I
am just another newbie ...
BTW, good thing Jerry hasn't offended Ed yet, isn't it? :-) :-)
This one could be argued till Doomsday without an answer. In my humble
opinion, it comes down to not being able to screen possible problems out by
making rules. Such rules just mean that the people who would not be a
problem get screened out and the ones who will cause trouble slip through
the cracks. There are sexual predators out there who see the BSA as an
opportunity; no amount of rules will keep them away because they can pose as
anything they please. "Gay" does not equal "child molester" and child
molesters do not "come out of the closet" very often.
On the other hand, rules can help to eliminate opportunities for abuse by
eliminating extended one-on-one situations between any scout and any leader
regardless of professed "orientation". That does not apply solely to the
BSA, that applies to Jimmy Swagert, Jim Bakker, and everyone else. Hormones
can be hard to control.
On the third hand, allowing a male parent to sleep next to his child in a
room full of girl scouts and parents on a group overnight also should not be
a problem. There is no opportunity there that is not present in the home and
there are plenty of people to respond to an outcry.
It is interesting to note in Leviticus that the penalties for rape when
there was no one around to respond to an outcry are quite different from the
penalties when people were within hearing distance. The "tree falling in the
forest" did not apply.
I think this means I agree with Chris in case anyone was listening ;-)
David Lieb
RWA Midgets
Girl Scout
Cookie Mom
Straight male
Non-molester
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